Hiya! We’re starting off the week easy but with tons and tons of flavor with these super delish and super easy Dan Dan Noodles.

You’re gonna love how quickly and effortlessly the whole thing comes together. Honestly, in just about 30 minutes you can have a big bowl of spicy, or not (you can totally control the heat factor ) of slurpy, peanutty noodles on the table. And in my book, that deserves one heck of cheer!!

After quickly sautéing the peanuts in some oil, the rest of the sauce entirely comes together in a food processor while the noodles are boiling away. Easy-peasy and done!

Every bite is full of zesty peanutty flavor. YUM!!

This version is vegetarian too, so if you do the Meatless Monday thing or are just looking to try to eat a more plant-based diet, this is one you’re definitely going to want to add to your repertoire.

Dan Dan noodles! So much fun to eat, so much fun to say! What more do we need?!! Happy Monday!!

Dan Dan Noodles (Vegetarian)

Makes 6 servings

You will need a food processor or blender for this.

Prep Time: About 30 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup peanut oil

• ½ cup unsalted peanuts (raw or dry-roasted)

• 1 small jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, minced

• 1 garlic clove, sliced

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar

• ½-1 tablespoon Sriracha (use the higher amount if you like things more spicy)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• Kosher salt

• 16 ounces lo mein noodles

• Chopped scallions for garnish (optional)

The Recipe

1. Heat the peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the peanuts and fry until they’re golden, stirring often. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool a bit. Meanwhile, add the jalapeño and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and then add the peanuts and the oil. Process until they’re minced. Add in the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, Sriracha, sugar and sesame oil and process until smooth. Taste and season with salt.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions until the are al dente. Drain and rinse well with cold water, then pat the noodles dry. Add them to a bowl and pour the sauce over them. Toss well to coat. Garnish with the chopped scallions and serve.

3. Store leftover noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. These are great cold or reheated in the microwave.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Food & Wine Magazine via Joanne Chang. I tinkered with ingredients and proportions and left out the ginger. If you love ginger, add a ¼-inch slice of freshly peeled ginger along with the garlic and jalapeño.